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Compare business credit cards for startups
Many business credit cards offer helpful benefits for startups.
Running a startup is never easy. You’re juggling multiple priorities at any given moment — including, of course, your company’s finances.
A business credit card can be your best friend for covering last minutes expenses. There are lots of choices catering to startups, so compare the annual fees, benefits and rewards to find the best card for your startup.
Our pick for startups
Compare business cards for startups
Updated October 16th, 2019
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Best business credit cards for startups
There are many business cards on the market, but it’s likely only a few offer benefits that meet your specific needs. Here are a few of our top picks.
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- Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card: Best for travel.
- The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express: Best for intro APR.
- Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business: Best for average credit.
- American Express® Business Gold Card: Best for limiting debt.
- Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business: Best for flat cash back.
Best for travel: Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card
This is one of your best choices if you travel often. You’ll earn accelerated points on travel and other business categories. And when you redeem points through Chase Ultimate Rewards, they’re worth 25% more.
Best for intro APR: The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
If you need to take on interest-free debt for longer than a month, you’ll want a card with a strong intro APR. The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of your top options, offering a long zero-interest promotion (see rates & fees) compared to similar business cards.
Best for average credit: Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
When you’re bootstrapping your startup, you might not have the best credit, from running up high balances or taking out loans. When other cards might be out of reach, the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business may be a viable option.
Best for limiting debt: American Express® Business Gold Card
If you’re worried about running up high balances on your card, you can keep yourself in check with the American Express® Business Gold Card. That’s because it’s a charge card, meaning you must pay off your balance each month unless you opt to use the Pay Over Time feature. Luckily, it’s also a strong rewards card, which can balance the steep annual fee (see rates & fees).
Best for flat cash back: Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
If your expenses spread through many categories, like office supplies, travel and shipping costs, a flat-rate rewards card like the Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business might help. It offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.If you don’t want to pay an annual fee, try the Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business. And if you want flat travel rewards, try the Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business or Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business.
How we selected our top cards
We measured a few different factors when comparing available credit cards for startup businesses, including credit score requirements, introductory APRs, reward programs, points or cash back earned per dollar, reward earning categories signup bonuses and other added perks particularly beneficial to startups. The cards we highlighted demonstrated exemplary performance in one or more of these categories.
What’s changed in 2019
Our list stood unchanged this year, with each card maintaining strong performance and remaining one of the top picks in their respective categories. While the The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express no longer has the longest intro APR available, it still remains a terrific choice and maintained its position on our list.
How to compare business credit cards for startups
- Annual fee. When cash is tight, you might not want the expense of an annual fee. There are solid no-annual-fee business cards, though you’ll earn more powerful rewards with cards you have to pay for.
- Signup bonus. If you anticipate heavy purchases in the next few months, you could breeze past the spending requirement for a card’s signup bonus. Business credit cards often have more impressive bonuses than personal cards.
- Intro APR. This could be the answer if you’ll rack up debt soon but need several months to pay it off. Intro APRs for business cards tend to top off at around 15 months.
- Rewards. A card with strong rewards can pay for itself. If your card has tiered rewards, check that your startup has significant expenses in the right categories. If your expenses are spread evenly throughout many categories, you might get more out of a flat-rewards card.
Bottom line
Your startup faces unique challenges, which some cards can address more effectively than others. Business cards are tailor made to help you overcome challenges related to your business. Compare options that give your rewards, balance transfers and an annual fee you can afford.
If you’d like to compare more products, visit our guide on business credit cards.
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Disclaimer
Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
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